I recently converted my detached garage into a studio and need reliable Wi-Fi.
The Situation:
Distance: 45–50 feet from the house.
Performance: 5GHz fails; 2.4GHz is unstable (10–25 Mbps) with frequent drops.
Requirements: 500 Mbps plan; needs stable Zoom and file uploads.
Obstacles: Finished drywall, no existing Ethernet.
Is an extender the best choice, or is there a more reliable way to bridge the gap?
Honestly, if you want a “set it and forget it” solution for a detached building, stop looking at cheap extenders. They’ll just frustrate you because they try to grab a weak signal and rebroadcast it, which is like trying to echo a whisper in a windstorm. Since you have fiber, don’t bottleneck it. Your best bet is to bury a direct-burial rated Ethernet cable (Cat6) in a shallow trench or run it through a PVC conduit. Once it’s in the garage, plug it into a dedicated Access Point (AP). This is the “pro” way to do it. You’ll get the full 1Gbps speed and zero latency issues. It’s a weekend of digging, but you’ll never have to worry about it again.
I think you’ll find general advice on the forums that isn’t tailored to your specific environment. No one will take designing it seriously.
@Then-Reindeer3632 I agree with you. If you want to design a truly high-quality network without hiring a professional, try planning apps. There are some decent options that are quite manageable for the average user. I usually use NetSpot for this kind of work.
You mentioned you have an Asus router. Check if it’s “AiMesh” compatible. If it is, you could just buy another Asus router and set it up as a mesh node.
I fully support the advice about predictive design. I worked with NetSpot to plan the equipment layout in my office. It’s truly simple and allows for the most efficient selection and placement of equipment.
Thank you for your input. There’s plenty to think about.